Professional Program

The Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) degree program prepares graduates with baccalaureate degrees in disciplines other than OT to become occupational therapists.

The curriculum is designed to provide integrated preparation for diverse professional roles as an occupational therapy practitioner in traditional settings as well as in areas of newly identified need.

The program involves both academic courses and integrated fieldwork experiences. Program particulars:

  • two years of academic work plus 24 weeks of internship (Level II Fieldwork)
  • full-time, with primarily day-time, weekday classes plus some evening labs
  • begins in the fall semester
  • are sequential and build upon preceding courses, so there is no option for spring entrance into the program
  • summer courses

Three Organizing Threads

The MSOT curriculum has three organizing threads that guide all instruction:

  • a clear focus on occupation as the central concern of the profession
  • a commitment to client-centered practice
  • a strong belief that practice must be guided by the best scientific evidence available.

Life course Perspective

The MSOT program is designed to provide integrated preparation for diverse professional roles. We have adopted a life course perspective in all of our clinical courses, rather than organize teaching by the traditional divisions by diagnosis (mental health; physical disabilities) or age group (pediatrics; geriatrics).

Clinical courses make extensive use of case examples, which are followed across the life course and guide the introduction of relevant assessment, intervention, and systems issues as they would typically occur in relation to each part of the life course.

Each semester, MSOT students participate in an Integrative Seminar that links academic course material with concurrent extended Level I Fieldwork (LIFW) experiences in the local Boston community. Students discuss and analyze their LIFW experiences in the Seminar to integrate what they have learned in other courses to these clinical situations.

As hands on experience is fundamental to this program, we have a large network of clinical fieldwork sites for students to choose from. Click on the link below to download the current list of our fieldwork sites.

NOTE: The above link requires Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0 or greater.

  • For questions about the MSOT program or to arrange a visit, please email or call the Boston University OT Office at OT@bu.edu or (617) 353-2727.